The neon lights of the Vibe with Five studio seemed to pulse with a different energy this morning. While the rest of the world was dissecting the points shared at the Emirates, Rio Ferdinand was focused on a single, baffling decision that he believes has sealed Arne Slot’s fate.
Leaning forward, his face etched with the disbelief of a man who had just seen a tactical “crime,” Rio didn’t wait for the intro music to fade before launching his broadside.
“Tactical Suicide”
“I’m certain that Arne Slot will be the next manager to be sacked,” Rio declared, his voice rising in pitch. “I’m looking at the team sheet last night, and I’m rubbing my eyes. I’m thinking, ‘Is there a glitch in the app?’ How can you have a player of that caliber—a match-winner, a guy who changes the gravity of the pitch—sitting on the bench in a title decider, and you prefer to use this guy?”
While Rio stopped short of naming the player to avoid “feeding the trolls,” the implication was clear to anyone who watched the 0-0 draw. Liverpool’s £85m marquee signing, who has been frozen out of the starting XI for three consecutive games, watched from the sidelines as Slot opted for a “functional” midfield that produced zero shots on target in the second half.
The “Functional” vs. The “Phenomenal”
Rio’s frustration centered on the perceived “safety-first” approach that has come to define the Slot era—a style that Roy Keane earlier branded a “circus.”
> “You’re playing Arsenal! You’re at the Emirates!” Rio shouted, gesturing wildly. “You don’t win leagues by being ‘stable.’ You win by letting your thoroughbreds run. Slot is treating a Ferrari like a Fiat. If you don’t know how to use the best tools in your shed, the owner is going to take the keys back. It’s that simple.”
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The “This Guy” Debate
The “this guy” Rio referred to—a hardworking but limited midfielder who started in place of the benched superstar—became the symbol of Slot’s alleged downfall. According to Ferdinand, the decision signaled a manager who is “scared to lose” rather than “brave enough to win.”
The stats from the match back up Rio’s fury:
* The Benched Star: Created 4 big chances in his last 20-minute cameo.
* The Starter (“This Guy”): 0 chances created, 0 successful take-ons, 65% pass completion.
A Manager on the Plank
Ferdinand’s “certainty” about Slot’s sacking adds another layer of pressure to a club already reeling from Jürgen Klopp’s “virus” warnings and the FIFA-imposed suspensions of their rivals. With rumors of a “preliminary agreement” with a new manager already circulating, Rio’s comments feel less like a prediction and more like an obituary for Slot’s tenure.
“The fans are bored, the pundits are tired, and the players are laughing on the bench,” Rio concluded, leaning back with a sigh. “When you lose the dressing room and the ‘eye test’ at the same time, there’s only one way out. Pack your bags, Arne. The taxi is outside.”
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